I’ve been on the pitch and heard fans chanting that my manager is getting sacked in the morning, and it’s never a pleasant experience.
The players experienced this on Thursday night, and after seeing his post-match interview, they will realize that something is amiss.
Ange Postecoglou is already facing pressure at Nottingham Forest
The Nottingham Forest manager faced taunts from fans on Thursday
Fans are not oblivious, and Ange doesn't help his situation. We witnessed this when things fell apart, and early signs suggest he is handling it similarly.
The harsh reality is that the players most affected will be those who are unhappy at the club or are already seeking a way out.
For instance, he was very close to joining Tottenham in the summer before signing a long-term deal, primarily because he was the manager.
He secured them a place in Europe, and the future seemed promising.
Suddenly, with Ange's arrival, the atmosphere has shifted dramatically. They are losing games, the fans are unhappy, and there is significant pressure to turn things around.
Gibbs-White should be understandably concerned, yet I expect he will be among the few who will continue to give their all for the manager, especially with the upcoming year.
However, I can tell you now that there will definitely be others who will use this current situation as an excuse, as that’s what many players tend to do.
They will attribute their poor performances and wrong decisions in crucial games to the anger and uncertainty surrounding Ange.
Yet, it's unfair to place all the blame on these players or solely on Ange, as this was a decision made by the owner, Evangelos Marinakis. He bears the responsibility.
Let’s call it what it is at Forest right now – a complete mess.
Of course, Ange should have secured at least one win in his first six games, especially considering they faced teams like and in the Prem, as well as their .
However, transitioning a squad from one style of play to another under two different managers within a few weeks, without a pre-season, is incredibly challenging.
I have been there and experienced it; it’s extremely tough.
We faced a similar situation in the 2019/20 season, starting with the pragmatic approach of Javi Gracia, then moving to a more open style with Quique Sanchez Flores, and finishing the season back to being solid and hard to beat with Nigel Pearson.
That was three different changes in ONE season, the year we were relegated from the Prem. It truly leaves players mentally and physically exhausted.
Fortunately, I was injured during that season, but the rest of our squad struggled significantly with the chaos and changes.
So I can empathize with Forest's difficulties right now. They had a very structured 4-3-3 under Nuno, playing deep and countering, putting in tremendous effort, and enjoying one of their best seasons in decades.
Postecoglou’s future at the City Ground is already uncertain
Then, Ange arrives without a pre-season, minimal time, and sporadic training sessions, wanting to completely overhaul that approach and expecting a quick turnaround to a more intricate style of football.
This simply doesn’t happen. It’s impossible, especially with mid-week matches. Saturday, Tuesday, Sunday, Thursday on repeat.
They will likely spend more time reviewing iPad clips on the bus than actually training on the pitch.
If they had played Burnley in Ange’s first match, they might have gained some momentum. Instead, it’s been a rapid succession of defeats since then.
This isn’t Sunday league football. You’re not up against weak opponents. You can’t afford to make mistakes.
As soon as you hesitate or take a moment too long to make a decision at this level, you’re done. It's like living in a nightmare.
Consider the opening goal against for last week – he hesitated to follow his man, then realized he wanted a high line, tried to play offside, and got it wrong, despite having a whole year to absorb that information!
I recall when broke the 100m record. He spoke afterwards about how he simply zoned out and felt liberated. He didn’t have to think about anything.
In contrast, Forest players are currently overthinking every run and every pass. Things are just not clicking. Ange can turn this around with a few victories, but how long will that take?
PALACE MUST KEEP GLASNER
CRYSTAL PALACE must prioritize retaining their manager.
They have had an excellent start to the season, but we must not forget the recruitment issues they faced towards the end of the transfer window.
